Coalition's prime targets are just not getting the message

THE Liberal Party's election advertisements are appealing to the
converted, but appear to be having little persuasive effect on
other voters.

Roy Morgan Research has used its online Reactor - in which
voters use a device similar to the one which creates Channel Nine's
worm - to indicate if election ads make them more inclined towards
Labor or the Coalition.

Unlike the worm sample, the participants in Morgan's Reactor are
selected to represent all Australians, not just undecided voters in
one city. It uses a much larger sample but does not attempt to find
swing or third party voters, instead dividing them along
two-party-preferred lines.

The results of its survey, undertaken among 544 electors on
Wednesday and Thursday this week, found the ALP advertisements on
interest rates and Work Choices were well received by Labor
supporters, and even managed to influence a few Government
supporters.

The ACTU commercial in which a young woman and a middle aged
couple talk about the effect of the Work Choices legislation was
the most effective, even making some Coalition supporters more
inclined to vote for the Labor Party.

The Liberal Party's attacks on Labor's union links and interest
rate record polarised voters, with Coalition supporters indicating
it would make them more inclined to vote for the Government and ALP
supporters more likely to vote Labor.

Roy Morgan's chief executive, Michele Levine, said the research
was not good news for the Coalition. "The Reactor shows the recent
advertising has reinforced [Coalition] support, but has failed to
persuade ALP supporters. In theory, the ALP needs only to hold its
current support base."

She said for Labor it was important to "cement" its current
supporters.

1194766869655-smh.com.auhttp://www.smh.com.au/news/national/coalitions-prime-targets-are-just-not-getting-the-message/2007/11/15/1194766869655.htmlsmh.com.auSydney Morning Herald2007-11-16Coalition's prime targets are just not getting the messageMark CoultanNational